These wonderfully adorable Easy Raspberry Tarts are mouthwatering and so simple to make! If you're looking for a dessert to impress your guests at your next dinner party but don't want to spend all day baking, check out this recipe. The flaky crust and juicy raspberries will have your guests reaching for a second tart!
Each little raspberry tart starts with a store-bought mini pie shell, gets a sweet, jammy berry filling, and comes topped with a cute pastry heart. They're perfect for Valentine's Day, a bridal shower, or any time you want a pretty dessert without much fuss.
Easy Raspberry Tarts Are an Easy Dessert Recipe
That statement shouldn't be surprising with a name like "Easy Raspberry Tarts"! All you need to do is buy a few items from the frozen section at your local supermarket and snag a couple items you most likely already have in your pantry. (If not, just add them to your shopping list.)
These Easy Raspberry Tarts may look like you've spent a lot of time on them... but they require little effort. A win-win!
Why Bake with Frozen Fruit?
When certain fruits are out of season, you may be better off buying them frozen. Since they are picked at the peak of ripeness before being frozen, they'll taste better than the out-of-season fruit. Raspberries are in season in the summertime, so if you want to make this recipe in the winter, frozen is perfect!
Frozen fruit also tends to cost less than its fresh fruit counterparts, and if you're baking a large quantity, this definitely matters. Unless you're eating the fruit fresh, using frozen fruit won't matter as much when you're baking.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Mini pie shells. Look for ready-made frozen mini pie shells (about 3 inches across) near the frozen pie crusts. You'll need 17 of them, 12 for the tarts and 5 to cut into hearts. If you can't find them, cut rounds from a refrigerated pie crust and press them into mini tart molds or a muffin tin, or use our homemade pie crust.
- Frozen raspberries. Use them straight from the freezer. Fresh raspberries work too, and you can mix in blackberries or blueberries if that's what you have.
- Lemon juice. Half a lemon brightens the berries and keeps the filling from tasting flat. Bottled lemon juice is fine in a pinch (about 1 ½ tablespoons).
- Granulated sugar. Plain white sugar sweetens the filling. If your berries are very tart, add an extra tablespoon or two.
- Cornstarch. Cornstarch is what turns the berry juices into a glossy, jammy filling. Arrowroot or tapioca starch works the same way.
- A small heart cookie cutter. A set of small heart cutters makes the toppers. Any little shape works, so try stars for the Fourth of July or circles any time.
How to Make Easy Raspberry Tarts: Step by Step
Step #1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place 12 of your mini pie shells on a baking sheet.
Tip: If the mini pie shells are frozen, be sure to thaw them for about 15 minutes.
Step #2: Place frozen raspberries in a large bowl and mix in lemon juice. Then, coat the raspberry mixture with sugar and cornstarch.
Next, scoop into your mini pies without overfilling them.
Step #3: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden. Cool on a rack.
Step #4: Take your spare mini pie shells and roll it on a smooth surface, just enough to make it flat but keep its shape and size. Cut out small hearts with the help of a cookie cutter. Place on your baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Step #5: Once heart crusts are baked, place in the center of your Easy Raspberry Tarts and allow to cool.
Aren't these just the best? Easy to make, full of sweetened raspberry goodness, and cute as a button. Desserts don't get much better than this!
Helpful Tips
Keep the berries frozen. Toss the raspberries with the lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch while they're still frozen. Thawed berries turn mushy and leak juice before they ever hit the oven, which makes for soggy shells.
Don't overfill. Fill each shell just to the top edge of the crust. The filling bubbles up as it bakes, and an overstuffed raspberry tart will spill sticky juice all over your pan. Lining the baking sheet with parchment makes cleanup super easy.
Bake until it bubbles. Look for a golden crust and filling that bubbles in the center, not just at the edges. That's the sign the cornstarch has done its job and the filling will set up nicely.
Let them cool completely. The filling is runny (and very hot!) straight out of the oven. It thickens as it cools, so give the tarts at least 30 minutes on the rack before you add the hearts or serve them.
Bake the hearts while the tarts cool. The hearts only need about 10 minutes, so you can pop them in as soon as the tarts come out. Keep an eye on them, since thin pastry goes from golden to too dark pretty quickly.
Variations
- Mixed berry tarts. Use a frozen berry blend, or half raspberries and half blueberries. If you love blueberries, our blueberry galette tart is another easy one to try.
- Graham cracker crust. Swap the pastry for mini graham cracker tart shells. They're already baked, so just bake the filled shells until the filling bubbles, and top them with whipped cream instead of hearts.
- Cream cheese layer. Spread a teaspoon of sweetened cream cheese in the bottom of each shell before adding the berries for a cheesecake-style raspberry tart.
- Lemon raspberry. Add a little lemon zest to the filling for an extra bright, fresh flavor.
- Sugared hearts. Brush the pastry hearts with a little milk and sprinkle them with sugar before baking so they sparkle.
Serving Ideas
These little tarts are made for parties! Set them out on a platter for a baby shower, bridal shower or holiday dessert table. With those pastry hearts on top, they fit right in with our favorite Valentine's Day desserts too.
Serve each raspberry tart with a dollop of whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a really fun dessert, pair them with a scoop of raspberry chocolate chunk no-churn ice cream. A cup of coffee or tea alongside makes them perfect for a relaxed brunch.
Storing & Freezing
These tarts are best the day they're made, while the crust is still flaky. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them sit out for about 15 minutes before serving, or warm them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes to crisp the crust back up.
You can also freeze baked tarts for up to 2 months. Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm, then move them to a freezer bag. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and warm them briefly in the oven before serving. Store the pastry hearts separately and add them once the tarts are thawed so they stay crisp.
More Recipes Like Easy Raspberry Tarts
If you love fruit-based desserts, check out these other easy-to-make recipes:
- Easy Mini Apple Pie Bites
- Hint of Mint Strawberry Yogurt Mini Pies
- Dutch Apple Pie
- Lemon Pie with Meringue
Recipe
Easy Raspberry Tarts
Ingredients
- 17 ready-made mini pie shells about 3 inches, thawed if frozen (12 for the tarts, 5 for the hearts)
- 2 cups frozen raspberries
- Juice of half a lemon
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place 12 of the mini pie shells on a baking sheet (line it with parchment paper for easy cleanup). If the shells are frozen, let them thaw for about 15 minutes first.
- In a large bowl, toss the frozen raspberries with the lemon juice. Add the sugar and cornstarch and stir until the berries are evenly coated. Spoon the filling into the 12 shells, filling them just to the top edge of the crust without overfilling.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles in the center. Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes so the filling can set.
- While the tarts cool, gently roll the remaining 5 pie shells flat on a smooth surface, just enough to flatten them. Cut out small hearts with the cookie cutter, place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, until golden.
- Place a pastry heart in the center of each tart and let cool completely before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition details are an estimate, per serving.
Mary Ellen says
Thank you. I used fresh
red and black raspberries. Jiffy pie crust mix. Fabulous!!!